The film opens next week. Having read quite a few reviews and opinion pieces, I'm still greatly looking to seeing it.

There's a pretty good article in today's Guardian about it. The writer, Ian Jack, spots a flaw in relation to a Ewan MacColl song featured in the movie, and goes on to discuss the question of authenticity in folk music.http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfre ... flaws-film

I've yet to read any comments or discussion in relation to Llewyn Davis's politics. He apparently refers to himself as a Shachtmanite. I guess most reviewers / critics will have more knowledge of music that the intricacies of Trotskyist politics.... this is probably a reference to Dave Van Ronk's political life, which rarely gets a mention.

Seen it and written about it - unfortunately for the Sunday Times which has a paywall so u can't see my intv with Elijah Wald (who put together DVR's autobiog and knew Dave since he was 15) and Bonnie Dobson and Tom Paley, who were both part of the Village folk scene in 61 (I sent them to a preview and got their opinions). See, Murdoch does have his uses beyond The Simpsons!

Anyway, it's very much a Coens film, with a very droll, somewhat absurdist schtick. It is also pretty accurate on the desperate struggle young musicians will endure for some recognition/money. And how selfish and unpleasant these young m's can be. While LD has many of DVR's traits all agreed Dave was a nice guy, a generous guy, while the Coens have instead created an unlikeable anti-hero. If Adam watches this film I think he will be reminded of some musicians he has known over time - the narcissism and self importance. How good is it as a movie? Well acted and shot, some engaging set pieces. Genuinely offbeat and often seemingly quite accurate as to how that tiny folk scene was. But no classic.

NormanD wrote:There's a pretty good article in today's Guardian about it. The writer, Ian Jack, spots a flaw in relation to a Ewan MacColl song featured in the movie. . .

I mentioned this some time ago on the fRoots Facebook page (You'll have to believe me), plus someone singing The Last Thing on My Mind a few years before it was written. Perhaps Tom Paxton, who sort of appears as a character in the film, didn't object. And perhaps T-Bone B will explain himself in his forthcoming fRoots interview.

And talking of Saturday's Guardian, it had a long interview with Chang-rae Lee on the publication of his latest novel. A fine writer, but his last novel, The Surrendered, had a GI in the Korean War singing ''an Irish ballad dating from the Famine'', The Fields of Athenry.